You need to format new diskettes before you can use them with an operating system. Formatting erases all the data on a diskette and prepares it to receive new data, so be sure to format only new blank diskettes or diskettes that contain data you want to erase. See Chapter 4 or your MS-DOS manual for instructions on how to format diskettes.

Caring for disks and disk drives

To avoid damaging your diskettes and hard disk, you need to care for them properly. Take these precautions to avoid losing data:

Do not remove a diskette, turn off the computer, or turn off an external diskette drive while the drive light is on. This light indicates that the computer is copying data to or from a disk. If you interrupt this process, you can destroy data.

Remove all diskettes before you turn off the computer.

Keep disks away from dust and dirt. Small particles of dust or dirt can scratch the magnetic surface and destroy data. Dust can also ruin the read/write heads in a disk drive.

Keep disks away from magnetic fields. (Remember that disks store data magnetically.) There are many sources of magnetism in your home or office, such as electrical appliances, telephones, and loudspeakers.

Keep disks in a moderate environment. They work best at room temperature and in normal humidity. Never leave diskettes sitting in the sun, or in extreme cold or heat. The temperature in a car in the middle of summer or winter can cause severe damage.

Do not expose the diskette’s surface by sliding the metal plate and never touch a diskette’s magnetic surface. The oils on your fingertips can damage it.

Do not place anything on top of your diskettes and make sure they do not get bent.

Using the Equity LT

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